Date/Time: November 5, 2026 | 10:30 – 11:00 am

Room: Experience Center

Abstract: Washington has become a national leader in mass timber school construction. Since 2017, 38 mass timber schools across 23 districts have been completed or are in planning. As districts work to replace aging facilities, mass timber offers promising ways to lower embodied carbon, invest in regional forest economies, and create warm learning environments that connect students to nature. Mass timber is also a new structural system that brings new ways of delivering projects, and districts benefit from hearing directly from peers who have done it.

In this panel, moderated by Erica Spiritos, Executive Director of the Mass Timber Accelerator (MASSTAC), district leaders and project partners will share what they have learned from recent mass timber school projects. Richard Best, Capital Projects Director at Seattle Public Schools, will talk about planning, budgeting, and choosing a delivery method across a multi-project capital program. Joe Boyer, Principal of Evergreen High School in Highline Public Schools, will describe what it has been like to open and run a mass timber building, including early observations about student attendance, sense of belonging, and care for the facility. An architect, contractor and mass timber manufacturer will explain how design decisions, early collaboration, and procurement strategy affect cost, schedule, and quality.

Participants will leave with practical insights for deciding whether mass timber fits their district, along with key considerations at each phase, from planning through operations.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the potential benefits of mass timber for K-12 facilities, including impacts on the learning environment, student experience, sustainability goals, and the regional economy.
2. Identify key considerations when evaluating mass timber during early planning and budgeting, including when to engage design and construction partners.
3. Explain why alternative delivery methods such as GC/CM and early coordination with suppliers can help manage schedule, cost, and supply chain risk on mass timber projects.
4. Apply lessons learned from recent Washington school projects to strengthen communication with boards, communities, and project teams about building with mass timber.